RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5 "G05"
The RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5 (aka "G05") is a Gundam type mobile suit from Kunio Okawara's MS Collection (M-MSV) original design series, designed as the 5th Gundam. Its design was updated for the video game Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters In Space as well as the manga Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Space, To the End of a Flash. Technology & Combat Characteristics The RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5, more commmonly referred to as "G05", was more advanced in many ways than its more famous predecessor. The Federation decided to convert the Gundam units 4 and 5, which were already in development, into space combat versions for use as main forces in the invasion of Solomon, A Baoa Qu, and then Zeon itself. These machines were based on the RX-78-2, and the replacement of the backpack and the addition of thrusters and propellant raised their mobility by roughly 40 percent. Their operating time was also extended, and it was anticipated that they would produce great combat results during lengthy battles, especially in attacks on space fortresses. The biggest change was the elimination of the core block system. The space freed up was used for cooling systems, thus increasing the generator output and enabling the use of more powerful beam weapons. As a result, the armament was upgraded to include a hyper beam rifle, and one beam gun was installed in each forearm. Unlike the G04, the G05 was issued a shell-firing giant gatling gun. While this weapon is nowhere near as powerful as the G04's mega beam launcher, it had the advantages of not requiring extra energy to use, didn't need a charging period before it could be fired and had rapid-fire capabilities. The G05 can also be outfitted with a booster system that extended its effective range and operating time. Armaments ;*Vulcan Gun :The pair of head mounted shell firing weapons have high-rate of fire, but little power and are generally ineffective against mobile suits. However, they can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors, and are ideal for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles, attack vehicles, etc. ;*Beam Saber :The beam saber is a small device held in the mobile suit's hands when operated and is powered by a rechargeable energy capacitor. The beam saber can cut through most armor not treated with anti-beam coating. The G05 has two beam sabers stored in the backpack. ;*Hand Beam Gun :Mounted on the forearms, it has a short effective range and is most suitable for use in close combat. ;*XBR-M-79H-2 Hyper Beam Rifle :An enhanced version of the beam rifle carried by the RX-78-2, it is powered by an E-Cap and has improved output as well as accuracy. ;*Hyper Bazooka :A general purpose fire support rocket launcher platform for Mobile Suits. With considerable destructive power owing to the explosive yield in each warhead, the weapon was primarily used to destroy less-maneuverable battlefield targets such as warships, satellites, land battleships, bunkers, and buildings. ;*Giant Gatling :Cooperation between G05 and G04 was assumed from the beginning, and so their weaponry was developed to be able to provide coverage for each other. To that end, this custom armament with one of the highest power among the highly reliable shell-firing projectile weaponry was selected for G05 in case the G04's mega beam launcher could not be used. It was said to be developed to fire a barrage of bullets over a wide range as a followup to the charging and firing of the G04's mega beam launcher. The weapon has a caliber of 90mm and can fire 50 rounds per second. It is belt fed via a large drum magazine containing 3000 caseless rounds that is attached to the left waist. A 5-second trigger limiter is applied to prevent barrel burning, but this limiter can be disabled through manual control. ;*Shield :A basic arm-mounted defense armament for many mobile suits. The shield is a thick sheet of armor designed to take severe punishment that would normally destroy a mobile suit. Shields are also treated with an anti-beam coating to withstand several beam shots before the coating wears off. Typically physical shields can only take so much damage before they succumb to the pressure and break. The G05's shield has an unique feature, it is normally in its collapse form and can expand when required. Special Equipment & Features ;*Booster Pack (Bst) :A special set of external fuel tanks and thrusters to give the unit higher speed and better maneuverability. The G05's operating time is also extended. ;*Magnetic Coating :A special membrane treatment applied to mobile suit joints to improve their response speed. The mobile suits developed by the Earth Federation Forces use special actuators called field motors, whose efficiency is increased by the magnet coating process. The treatment also reduces friction resistance in the mobile suit's joints. History Deployed with the RX-78-4 Gundam Unit 4 "G04" to the 16th Autonomous Mobile Squadron and assigned to the Pegasus-class warship, the SCVA-72 Thoroughbred. Due to its late introduction in the One Year War, the RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5 "G05" saw little action. It mainly participated in interdiction missions between the Moon and Side 3. The high point of its combat deployment was its defense of Republic of Zeon Prime Minister Darcia Bakarov as he traveled to Granada at the end of the War for the signing of the Peace Treaty. In this fight, it engaged with several of the newest experimental mobile suits and mobile armors under development at the lunar base. It completed its mission and saw the end of the war, though what became of it after the peace accords is unknown. Gallery rx-78-5bst.jpg|Gundam G05 Bst: re-illustrated by Hajime Katoki G05.jpg|Gundam G05: re-illustrated by Kyoshi Takigawa as featured in "Master Archive Mobile Suit RX-78 Gundam" (GA Graphic; 2011) rx-78-5-gatlinggun.jpg|Giant Gatling Gun G05.png|As featured in Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space video game G05 Head Sideshot.png|Side view G04 & G05 Hanger.png|With Gundam G04 inside SCVA-72 Thoroughbred's hangar G04 & G05.png|In action With Gundam G04 G05 holding damaged G04.png|Holding the damaged Gundam G04 RX-78-5 - Gundam - MS Girl.jpg|RX-78-5 Gundam MS Girl Games GGen_G05.png|From SD Gundam G Generation Spirits GGen_G05_Giant_Gatling.png|With Giant Gatling GGen_G05_Bst.png|With booster Missing Link G05 Gundam (1).png|Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story Missing Link Missing Link G05 Gundam (2).png|Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story Missing Link p12_1.jpg|Gundam G05 and its pilot Ford Romfellow EU188.jpg|Gundam G05 as featured in Gundam War card game img_zjhow15s.png|As seen in Gundam Battle Operation 2 Gunpla Mg Rx-78-5.jpg|1/100 MG RX-78-5 Gundam G05 (2003): box art Action Figures MSiA_rx-78-5_p01.jpg|Mobile Suit in Action (MSiA / MIA) "RX-78-5 Gundam G05" action figure (2003): package front view. GFF_0020_MudrockGundam_box-front.jpg|Gundam Fix Figuration (GFF) #0020 "RX-78-6 Mudrock / RX-78-5 Gundam G05" figure set (2004): package front view GFF_0020_MudrockGundam_box-back.jpg|GFF #0020 "RX-78-6 Mudrock / RX-78-5 Gundam G05" figure set (2004): package rear view GFF_0020_MudrockGundam-GundamG05_Sample.jpg|GFF #0020 RX-78-6 Mudrock figure (2004): product sample (right) with parts convertible to RX-78-5 Gundam G05 figure (left) Notes and Trivia References RX-78-5color.jpg|Gundam G05 (Kunio Okawara version) as featured in "Mobile Suit Gundam MS Encyclopedia" (Mediaworks) Gundam G05 - Games MSV 95.jpg|Games MSV #95 - Gundam Unit 5 "G05" 78-4 78-5 Perfect File.jpg|Gundam G04 and Gundam G05: information from Gundam Perfect File ms-gundam05.jpg|Gundam G05: information from Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation RX-78-5 G05 - MS Info.jpg|Gundam G05: information and specifictaions RX-78-45 G04 G05 - MS Info.jpg|Gundam G04 and G05: common design features RX-78-45 G04 G05 - MS Info0.jpg|Gundam G04 and G05: common equipment and weapons RX-78-5 G05 - MS Info0.jpg|Gundam G05: Giant Gatling Gun External links *RX-78-5 5th Gundam on MAHQ.net *RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5 "G05" on MAHQ.net ja:RX-78-5 ガンダム5号機